Fruit handling machine



Nov. 14, 1939.

F. STEBLER FRUIT HANDLING MACHINE Filed June 28, 1937 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. FRED. STEBLER. B0411 ATTORNEY.

3 Sheets- Sheet 2 Filed June 28, 1937 INVENTOR. FRED 515mm.

BYQ. C 7

ATTORNEY.

F. STEBLER FRUIT HANDLING MACHINE Nov. 14, 1939.

a Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed June 28, 1937 AIL hH "H P I I II I I Iu -l l l l n l l H "I" m TEL INVENTOR FRED STEBLER M63 4 I I A TTORNEY.

atented Nov. 14', 1939 'NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FRUIT HANDLING momma Fred Stebler, Riverside, Caliit, assignor to Food Machinery Corporation, :San Jose, Calif., a corporation of Delaware Application June 2a, 1937, Serial No. 150,738

' '1 Claims. (01. l46193) This invention is concerned with fruit handling Fig. 3 is an end elevational view of the mamachines and the like, and relates more parchine :with a portion of the view in section to ticularly to improved means for separating trash illustrate certain details of construction. such as leaves, stems and the like from thejfruit Fig. 4 is a fragmentary sectional elevation of before it is fed to processing machines for washa part of the machine, and is taken as indicated 5 ing, sorting, polishing, or otherwise treating the by the line 4-4 in Fig. 3.

fruit. Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional customarily, fruit such as lemons, is brought view of the upper end of the trash conveyor. from the orchard or from storage in boxes which Generally, the machine of my invention comwill contain stems, leaves, and the like in addiprises a water tank lO which is suitably mounted tion to the fruit, so that the desirable initial in a frame H and has an inclined roller conveyor step in treating fruit is to eliminate the trash I2 of suitable construction mounted therein so from the fruit so that it will not interfere with that its discharge end rises above the water level the treating operations or clog the treating maof the tank, which is determined by a removable chines. With delicate, tender fruit, such as drain pipe l3 mounted in a drain sump at one lemons, for example, it is customary to empty side of the tank. The pipe l3 has suitable screens the boxes of fruit into a water tank in which the mounted thereon to prevent escape of trash with trash will tend to separate from the fruit, or the water when emptying the tank. The conmay be positively separated therefrom by circuveyor I2 is driven by suitable means from a motor lation of the water, pressure sprays, and the like, I"! so as to pick up fruit dumped into the tank the fruit being removed from the tankby suitadjacent the feed end of the conveyor by inable elevating and conveying means. verting the box of fruit on box supporting straps It has also been proposed to provide screens l9, and discharge such fruit over a discharge in the tank through which the water must pass chute Hi to any suitable form of processing mabefore recirculation so as to screen the trash chine, not shown. 5

2 therefrom and prevent circulation of any foreign To assist the fruit in moving from the feed matter through the pipes and the pump. Some end toward the discharge end so that the fruit dificulty has been encountered with the above can be picked up more readily by the conveyor, a noted constructions, however, particularly where circulation of the water in the tank may be a large amount of trash is present in the boxes induced from a centrifugal pump it driven from of fruit, because the operation of the machine the motor I! and having a discharge pipe It! must be stopped from time to time while the leading to the feed end of the tank and exscreens are removed for cleaning. In accordtending transversely thereacross. The portion ance with my invention, the above noted disof pipe l8 within the tank is perforatedthroughadvantageous feature is eliminated by the proout its length to discharge water toward the vision of means for continuously removing the conveyor l2, so as to move fruit thereon, and trash from t w r so that th equipment an out of the way of the fruit. from the next box. be operated without interruption because of the The pump it also serves, through hose connecaccumulationof trash therein. tion 21 and sprai, pipe 22, to subject fruit such It is a general object of my invention, thereas indicated at 23 to a high pressure spray as it fore, to provide improved means for eliminatis lifted above the water level in the tank to carry ing the trash from fruit feeding means in a simple any clinging leaves, stems, or other trash oi! of and expeditious manner. the fruit and into the water.

Another object of the invention is to provide The suction side of the pump I6 is connected an improved machine of the character referred by a pipe 26 to a sump-21 which is separated to in which the trash accumulating therein is from the remainder of the tank by removable continuously removed. screen 28 as seen most clearly in Figs. 2 and Other objects of the invention will be evident 3. The upper end of 'sump 21 is closed off from from the following description of a preferred the tank by a wall 29, while the lower portion embodiment thereof, in connection with the acthereof connects with a transverse chamber SI companying wings, in which: formed at the discharge end of the tank beneath Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of a machine .a screen trash conveyor 32. As seen most clearly embodying my improved trash eliminating in Figs. 3 and- 4, the conveyor 32 extends horimeans. I zontally across the tank beneath the discharge Fig is a plan view oi. the machine, end ofthe roller conveyor, and has its upper stretch Supported by respective angles 33 suitably secured on the end wall 34 of the tank and an intermediate partition wall 36 joined with the upper end of the inclined tank bottom 31. 'Adjacent sump, 21, a plate 38 is secured between the walls 34, 36 and 29 and extends over the conveyor 32so that the chamber 3! only communicates with the remainder of the tank through the screen conveyor 32. As seen in Fig. 3, the tank In is provided with a laterally and upwardly inclined extension 4! into which the similarly inclined end of the trash conveyor 32 extends. The lower stretch of the conveyor 32 is guided at the bend therein by a stationary guide 42, while its upper stretch is engaged and guided by a floating roller or drum 43 which has its ends journalled in similar adjustable links 44 pivoted about a transverse shaft 45 in the tank extension 4 I.

At the elevated discharge end of the trash conveyor, a cleaning brush 5| (Figs. 3 and 5) is suitably journalled between a pair of side plates 52 so as to engage the lower stretch of the trash conveyor 32, being driven through a chain and sprocket type drive connection 53 from the driving drum 54 of the trash conveyor so as to rotate .in the direction of the arrow in Fig. 5, whereby the brush serves to remove any adhering trash from the screen.

In operation, fruit dumped into the tank is caused to travel toward the discharge end of the tank by the circulation induced from the pump l6 and to be picked up by the fruit conveyor l2. The trash will tend to separate from the fruit while in the water, and any trash remaining on the fruit is removed by 'the high pressure spray from the pipe 22. The trash will follow the circulation of the water, which at the discharge end of the tank is downwardly through the screentype trash conveyor 32 into the chamber3l, and thence through the screen 28 and the sump 21 to the suction pipe 26 of the pump. As the conveyor 32 is driven continuously during operation.

of the machine, trash which collects thereon will be discharged from the machine by the conveyor 32 and its cooperating brush 5|. It will be seen, therefore, that I have provided a simple and efficient means for enabling continuous and eii'e'ctive use of the type of apparatus disclosed, without interference by the accumulation. of trash, because the trash is continuously removed as it accumulates on the screen conveyor 32.

While I have shown and described a preferred embodiment of the invention, it is to be understood that the invention is capable of variation and modification from the form shown, and its scope, therefore, should be limited only by the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

, 1. A machine for handling fruit or the like preparatory to the processing thereof, comprising a,tank having a water-filled fruit dumping chamber, an inclined fruit conveyer extending upwardly out of said chamber for picking up and elevating fruit from the water therein, said conveyor having openings therethrough to permit trash and'water to pass through the conveyor,

a water outlet chamber below said conveyer, an endless travelling trash screen separating said fruit chamber and said outlet chamber and having adischarge point above the level of water in said tank, and water circulah'ng means for withdrawing water from said outlet chamber and reintroducingthe withdrawn water into said fruit chamber, whereby trash is carried by the circulating water against said screen for removal thereby.

2. A machine for handling fruit or the like preparatory .to the processing thereof, comprising a tank having a water-filled fruit dumping chamber, an inclined fruit conveyer extending upwardly out of said chamber for picking up and elevating fruit from the water therein, said conveyer having openings therethrough to permit trash and water to pass through the conveyer,

- means for applying a rinsing spray to fruit on said conveyer above the level of water in said tank, a water, outlet chamber below said conveyer,

an endless travelling trash screen separating said fruit chamber and said outlet chamber and having a discharge point above the level of water in said tank, and water circulating meansfor withdrawing water from said outlet chamber and reintroducing the withdrawn water into said fruit chamber, whereby trash is carried by the circulating water against said screen for removal thereby,

3. A machine for handling fruit or the like preparatory to the processing thereof, comprising a tank having a water-filled fruit dumping chamber, an inclined fruit conveyer extending upwardly outof said chamber for picking up and elevating fruit from the water therein, said conveyer having openings therethrough to permit trash and water to pass through the conveyer,

I a water outlet chamber below said conveyer, an

endless travelling trash screen separating said fruit chamber and said outlet chamber, means mounting said screen for substantially horizontal movement while below said conveyer and for subsequent upward movement to a trash discharging position, and water circulating means preparatory to the processing thereof, compris-.

ing a tank having a water-filled fruit dumping chamber, an inclined fruit conveyer extending upwardly out of said chamber for picking up and elevating fruit from the water'thereln, said con- 'veyer having openings therethrough to permit trash and water to pass through the conveyer, means for applying a rinsing spray to fruit on said conveyer above the level of water into said tank, a water outlet'chamber below said conveyer, an endless travelling trash screen separating said fruit chamber and said outlet chamber, means mounting said screen forv substantially horizontal movement while below said conveyor and for subsequent upwardmovement to a trash discharging position, and water circulating means for withdrawing water from said outlet chamber thereby.

5. A machine for handlingfruit or the like preparatory to the processing thereof, comprising a tank having a water-filled fruit dumping chain;-

ber, an inclined fruit conveyer extending upwardly out of said chamber for picking up andelevatlng fruit from the watertherein, said conveyer having openings therethrough to permit trash and water to pass through the conveyer, a water outlet chamber below said conveyer, an endless travelling trash screen separating said fruit chamber and said outlet chamber, means of said screen at the junction of the horizontal,

and inclined portions thereof, and water circu-. iating means for withdrawing water from said outlet chamber and reintroducing the withdrawn water into said fruit chamber, whereby trash is carried by the circulating water against said screen for removal thereby.

6. A machine for handling fruit or the like preparatory to the processing'thereoi, comprising a tank having a water- -fllled fruit dumping chamber for receiving bulk fruit, an inclined eonveyer extending upwardly from below the level of water in said chamber and operable to lift fruit out of the water, said conveyer having openings therethrough to permit trash and water to pass through the conveyer, means for inducing a circulation of water in said tank including means for directing the flow or water in said chamber through said conveyor to direct fruit onto said conveyorandto direct the water and trash through the conveyer, and a traveling trash eonveyer interposed in the path of circulation of said water for screening the trash therefrom, said trash conveyer having a portion extending above the level of the water to a trash discharging position.

"I. A machine for handling fruit or the like preparatory to processing the same, comprising a water nlled tank for receiving bulk fruit, means for circulating water through saiditank, a fruit convey'er interposed in'the path of water circulation for picking up the fruit, said conveyer having openings therethrough to permit the water.

and trash to pass therethrough, said fruit conveyer extending upwardly from the water to a discharge position above the level of water in the tank, and a trash conveyer interposed in the path 01 water circulation to receive the water and trash from said fruit conveyer and to screen the trash from the water, said trash conveyor-having a portion extending out 01' the path of water circulation to a trash discharge position. 

